Lost in the sauce of the news that the Tennessee Titans were cutting Dion Lewis was an interesting little nugget from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport about Derrick Henry.
In his report of the move to cut Lewis, Rapoport also said that the Titans “plan to bring back Derrick Henry at a big number.”
Meanwhile… the #Titans are officially releasing RB Dion Lewis, source said. Not a surprise, as his playing time fell off dramatically this year and they plan to bring back Derrick Henry at a big number.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 12, 2020
This would seem to suggest that Henry is going to get paid in a long-term deal, as opposed to the franchise tag, which was another potential avenue the Titans could have taken to bring him back for one year.
So, what would classify as “a big number”?
Well, Spotrac has Henry’s market value at a four-year deal worth $55.3 million, working out to $13.8 million annually.
Now that would be a big number.
In reality, based on the fact that the running back position has been devalued over the years, any deal paying him north of $10 million per year would be considered a hefty payday.
There will be plenty of detractors of such a lucrative, long-term deal, but most of those people will be those who are on the outside looking in at the Titans.
The way the Titans value Henry is different than most teams. Henry was the driving force of the Titans’ offense, and when he wasn’t dominating with the ball in his hands, the sheer threat of him running opened things up for Ryan Tannehill and the passing attack.
Not to mention, head coach Mike Vrabel and general manager Jon Robinson have both lauded Henry for his leadership on the field, in the locker room, and in the community outside of the stadium.
The Alabama product is more than just a running back to this franchise; Henry is the heart and soul and identity of the team.
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